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More than a chance Pap...I love the Shazier pick because I think it is the type of player we need in a pas first and pass often NFL. I would have hated Mosley as the pick because the age of the Neanderthal run stuffer is over and you need speed and flexibility on defense. Everyone who wants to tout how defense wins championship and cites Seattle last Super Bowl need to look at that defense. It is all built around speed at every position.

Exactly, and that's what I was referring to when I said you need to have athletes on the field, Levon Kirkland, IMO, would struggle in today's NFL as a LBer. I love the athlete, now it's Butler's job to make him into an NFL football player. If nothing else, the STs were probably improved, because he isn't going to start day 1, I don't think, but maybe.

Man, Shazier looks RIPPED and Strong huh ?....Gee, I can ONLY Imagine what " Michael Sam " was thinking as he sat on the sideline seeing him. ....Imagine if we select Sam later on in the draft.....Michael may be hoping he and Shazier are Camp roomies....so he can get in a little...Brokeback Mountain time ?

He'll have to fight off blocks by o-lineman that outweigh him by 100 pounds.

Thats the case of many LBs. Willis & Kuechly are all playing in the 230-240 range. Timmons is in the 235 range. LBs that can hit & run. The Hybrids seem to be the evolution to help keep your base on the field & more LBs on the field in subs.

He'll have to fight off blocks by o-lineman that outweigh him by 100 pounds.

If LB's were all supposed to be able to fight off O-Lineman by themselves, they wouldn't be LB's anymore. They'd be D-Linemen. What's the one advantage all LB's should have over Lineman??? It's not strength, it's speed and quickness. These days, a slow but stout LB is not going to stay on the field for 3 downs anymore. Gotta have a guy like this (see Luke Keuchly, Lavonte David, Kiko Alonso, etc) who can stay on the field on 3rd downs and rush the passer as well.

Fans don't like what I have to say about Shazier...got shouted down last night in chat as "putting bad energy into the universe" by making an assessment on a player who I watched his entire career. Shazier has much upside. I mean the guy is so athletically gifted...and you cant coach that kind of special speed. But, guys think about it. If he were really that amazing...do you believe a LBr with sub 4.4 speed would have projected in the late first? He has played at weights significantly less than his combine weight, he is more of a big safety than a LBr. He gets swallowed up in the trash, and can't disengage blockers. Even though he is fast he isn't that great in pass coverage. He takes bad angles, likes to avoid blockers by running around them rather than through them. He is a true tweener...not good enough in coverage to play safety...not big enough to effectively play ILB in the NFL. Obviously, I didn't love the pick and I'm a Buckeye fan. Can the guy play? Yes. Was he productive in college? Yes. Could he be very special? Yes. He is a project, needs to add some bulk, has to get better in coverage, has to learn some technique beside FAST. I think he is 2-3 years away from being ready. He has the highest ceiling of all LBRs in this draft...no doubt. But, he was a risky pick at 15.

Sorry Shawn, but this does not support your argument. And it makes it sound ridiculous. Think about it.

2013 stats:

144 tackles, 23.5 for loss, 7 sacks, 4 PD's, and 4 FF's. Most of all from inside LB and as a junior.

How do you get swallowed up in the trash and can't disengage blockers with those numbers? If he is running around blockers, I say keep doing it. It seems to be working.

The year before he had 12 PD's. For an inside LB that speaks to be above average in coverage.

If LB's were all supposed to be able to fight off O-Lineman by themselves, they wouldn't be LB's anymore. They'd be D-Linemen. What's the one advantage all LB's should have over Lineman??? It's not strength, it's speed and quickness. These days, a slow but stout LB is not going to stay on the field for 3 downs anymore. Gotta have a guy like this (see Luke Keuchly, Lavonte David, Kiko Alonso, etc) who can stay on the field on 3rd downs and rush the passer as well.